By Staff
NILES – An assault victim sought help at a gas station before taking off to pursue his alleged attacker.
The Niles Police Department received a call from Randi Ray, who is an employee of the Admiral gas station located at 17th and Oak streets, around 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 20. Ray reported that a customer came into the store asking her to call the police and report that he had been robbed. Ray said the customer was bloody and showed other signs of having been assaulted. The customer then ran out of the store and took off in his vehicle eastbound on Oak Street in pursuit of his assaulter.
Police officers reviewed the surveillance tape at the gas station and recognized the victim as Peter Sain Sr. Officers then went to Sain's home where they found him.
According to the police report, Sain had several injuries from the assault and stated he was just calling the police to report the incident. Sain stated that he is acquainted with the man that attacked him and stated that the man was helped by a female who Sain also knows. Sain provided officers with the names of his attackers. Niles City officers were assisted by the Michigan State Police and the Berrien County Sheriff's Department with this investigation and thoroughly checking the area for the suspects but none were located.
Around 4:55 p.m. on Saturday, Berrien County Sheriff's Department Deputy Amber Sriver stopped a car near South 11th Street and State Line Road. During this traffic stop the deputy began a drunken driving investigation with the driver. While conducting this investigation the driver ran from the deputy and assaulted the deputy when she was taking him into custody. Sriver was assisted by Michigan State Police Trooper Betty Stezowski during this arrest. The driver of this car was a suspect in the strong armed robbery which occurred earlier this same day. There was also a passenger in the car who turned out to be the female suspect in the strong armed robbery.
The driver was arrested for Operating While Intoxicated, Resisting and Obstructing Police and Strong Armed Robbery. The passenger was arrested for Strong Armed Robbery. Both were scheduled to be arraigned Monday at the Niles Court House.
During the robbery Sain's wallet was forcibly removed from this pocket. Sain's wallet was later found by a citizen who took it to Sain's home and returned it to him. If the person who found the wallet or if a person knows who found the wallet would call the Niles Police Department's Detective Bureau (683-1313) with this information it would be very helpful to the investigation.